Rural News
BIOMASS FUNDING UPDATE - JUNE 2010
Following some recent changes to the grant funding available for biomass activities, the Humber Rural Partnership Biomass Project Group has produced an update to the biomass funding guide, issued earlier this year in partnership with the The Forestry Commision.
The guide and update provides a list of key regional contacts within the biomass sector, and will be of interest if you are;
Involved in the biomass supply chain already
Keen to adapt to climate change and explore new business opportunities
Considering growing energy crops on your land
Looking to maximise the potential of your woodland
Interested in installing a biomass boiler in your property
Click on the download on this page for the update and the guide
For further information, or for a hard copy of the guide and the update please contact The Rural Policy and Partnerships Team on 01482-391696
Rural Car Share Study
Download the Full Report and Presentation here.
The Yorkshire and Humber Regional Car Share Feasibility Study launched its final report at a major event in Leeds on 19th May 2010. The event was jointly hosted by the Regional Rural Affairs and Regional Transport Forums, and chaired by Rural Affairs Forum Chair, Tony Pexton.
The Humber Rural Partnership managed the project, and will continue to coordinate future action at both regional and local levels. The study found relatively low levels of membership and uptake of formal car sharing in the region, but high levels of informal car sharing in a range of rural areas.
The current Steering Group will be expanded to create a regional task and finish group that will progress a range of actions based on the studys' key recommendations. These could include actions to;
- Increase car share scheme membership and sharing rates
- Encourage informal car sharers to join formal schemes
- Raise awareness of car sharing as a rural transport solution
- Improve and enhance exisiting marketing strategies and materials
- Consider the potential for some regional branding, e.g. of road sign advertising
Set-Aside Measures
New Opportunities and Challenges for the East Riding of Yorkshire
Set-aside was introduced at an EU level in the era of grain mountains and wine lakes to curb over-production and involved paying farmers not to crop a proportion of their farm i.e. leave as permanent or rotational fallow. Up to quite recently arable farmers were under an obligation to set-aside land i.e. keep some areas uncropped. This policy changed in 2008 with a new zero rate of set-aside being introduced at an EU level. There have been ongoing concerns since that losing set-aside would be to the detriment of biodiversity. Defra has responded to this by consulting on how the biodiversity gains of set-aside could be replaced. Hilary Benn recently announced that Defra would adopt an industry-led approach that would seek to deliver biodiversity targets through a mix of the expanded use of stewardship schemes and voluntary initiatives - to be launched as the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE). The Campaign will be delivered via a national plan led by the NFU and Country Land & Business Association - working with partners. The CFE will have local delivery mechanisms, including the establishment of county-level delivery groups, and will focus on three themes - farmland birds, resource protection and wider biodiversity provision. The Campaign for the Farmed Environment will be rolled out nationally over the next 2-3 years. East Riding of Yorkshire is included in the first wave in Year 1. In a predominantly intensively farmed arable area, and with a relatively low level of land protected by statutory designations, the shift towards a more decentralised approach to the delivery of farmland biodiversity presents a set of unique challenges and opportunities for the East Riding of Yorkshire.
For further information please contact
David Farnsworth, Rural Officer, East Riding of Yorkshire Council. Tel:01759 305294
Email:david.farnsworth@eastriding.gov.uk
For more information please refer to the DEFRA website: www.defra.gov.uk
UK Low Carbon Transition Plan & Renewable Energy Strategy
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has recently published the `United Kingdom Low Carbon Transition Plan', setting out a route map for the country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to the challenges and opportunities of climate change. The vision is to transform the country into `a cleaner, greener and more prosperous place, delivering overall emissions cuts of 18% by 2020 based on 2008 levels.The Transition Plan includes for the first time a formal framework for tackling emissions from the farming industry. Key measures include: - Encouraging farmers to take voluntary action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 6% lower than currently predicted by 2020.
- Increasing Government support for anaerobic digestion, a technology that turns waste and manure into renewable energy and produces an organic fertiliser as a by-product.
- More accurate measuring, reporting and verification of agricultural emissions
